Dear Animal Behavior majors,

Some of you may have gotten this message already.  Last month I was searching for an on-site assistant for my chimpanzee research project in Uganda and found an excellent applicant, but unfortunately she’s had some health challenges and it looks like she won’t be able to go.  If you might be interested in working at a primate research you can find out more about Semliki by going to my webpage, www.indiana.edu/~semliki. 

Project.  Click the Button "Job Description" below to see the description and a job-posting I sent to a primatology interest website.

I’ve had the best success with students I know, so I’d rather hire someone from IU I’ve met.  Before I post the job on a nationwide primatology site, I wanted to reach out to students who have taken one of my classes recently.

I want to emphasize that while this job is both a field observation job and a staff-supervisory job, chimpanzee field work is not like a Jane Goodall movie.  Most of the work ends up being supervising staff, taking care of money matters and keeping camp in order.  I think Steven has spent an entire month just trying to get our vehicle running.

If you’re interested, let’s meet and I can tell you more about the site and the position.

Kevin Hunt kdhunt@indiana.edu

Job Description

POSTED: 1/13/2020

My name is Mara van Maarschalkerweerd and I am the research coordinator for Mahouts Elephant Foundation, a UK registered charity. I am reaching out to departments teaching animal behavior, conservation, and related fields of animal studies to announce an opportunity for interested students in a conservation behavior field course studying Asian elephants in Thailand this summer. 

For students interested in elephant conservation, animal behavior, and anthrozoology we are offering for the third consecutive year a research-intensive study abroad program at our field site in rural northern Thailand. The research is under the direction of Dr. Liv Baker in association with the Institute for Compassionate Conservation, and our university partner, the University of British Columbia. The program is academically rigorous and involves 4 weeks of dedicated field time in Thailand and is open to qualifying students from any university studying a related discipline with second year standing or above.

The application deadline is February 1 and we will be offering one session of 10 students to enable personalized learning, so spots are limited! The application form and course information leaflet are attached to this email.

We would appreciate your willingness to share this opportunity with your departments students. Please feel free to contact me or Dr. Liv Baker (Lv824@hunter.cuny.edu) with any questions.

Many thanks for your time,

Mara van Maarschalkerweerd, MSc

Mahouts Brochure

Application

POSTED: 11/15/2019

Summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)

Coastal Ocean Processes

Program dates: June 8 - Aug 14, 2020

Do 10 weeks of research at the USC Wrigley Marine Science Center on Catalina Island!

Application opens Jan 1, 2020 and closes on Feb 14, 2020

For students who have:

- completed one year of biology and chemistry

- will be enrolled as an undergraduate in Fall 2020

- are U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents of the U.S.

More information about the program and how to apply: wrigley.usc.edu/reu/

Please direct questions to Dr. Diane Kim, dianekim@usc.edu, 213-740-8776

See flyer

POSTED: 10/17/2019

NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program
Warm-water Aquatic Ecology
Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA
Summer 2020: May 17 to July 26

http://wilsonlab.com/reu/

Overview: We are excited to invite applications from undergraduate students to participate in a National Science Foundation supported summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program focused on the ecology of southeastern ponds, rivers, reservoirs, and estuaries.  Ten undergraduate students will work closely with a team of Auburn University faculty to explore aquatic ecosystems, complete a student-driven research project, participate in a variety of professional development and social activities, develop and lead an outreach project, and share their research findings in a symposium at the conclusion of the program.  Participants will work closely with our mentors to develop an interdisciplinary project involving complementary fields, such as community ecology, limnology, evolution, fisheries management, molecular biology, conservation, biogeochemistry, biodiversity, and microbiology.  The program will run from May 17 to July 26, 2020 (10 weeks).

Flyer: Please help us advertise the program by posting our flyer at your institution - http://wilsonlab.com/reu/pubs/reu_flyer.pdf  

Eligibility: All applicants who are interested in receiving NSF support must currently be a (1) U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or permanent resident and (2) an undergraduate freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior graduating no earlier than September 2020 or a high school senior that will start their undergraduate education the following fall semester after the REU program.  We are especially encouraging students from traditionally under-represented groups in biology (i.e., African-Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, other Pacific Islanders, students with disabilities, first generation college students, and U.S. veterans) as well as students from institutions with limited research opportunities (e.g., community colleges) and/or students in financial need to apply.  The online application is available at http://wilsonlab.com/reu/application.html

Support: Participants will receive a stipend ($5,500) plus housing and subsistence, financial assistance for travel to and from Auburn, and support for lab and field supplies.  For full consideration, on-line applications must be received by 1 February 2020.

International students: Although not financially supported by our REU Site, we are also open to including a few strongly motivated and self-funded international students in our REU Site research and professional development activities.

Contact information: For more information about the REU Site, visit http://wilsonlab.com/reu/ or contact Dr. Alan Wilson (wilson@auburn.edu).

POSTED: 1/13/2020

Danta is pleased to announce our 2020 field courses in tropical biology. Our courses are intended for undergraduates or early graduate level students who have a keen interest in tropical ecosystems and conservation, but have little or no experience of working in a tropical environment. Participants may enroll on either a credit or non-credit basis.

 DANTA operates on a cooperative and collaborative teaching model with multiple international instructors on each course. Co-instruction allows for more individualized instruction, and the sharing and appreciation of different ideas. Visiting scholars are often incorporated into the curriculum to broaden student experience.

 As much of our advertising is done by word-of-mouth, we encourage you to spread the word by forwarding this information to students or friends who may be interested in our programs.

For more information, please visit our website at www.DANTA.info and/or email conservation@danta.email. For an alumni perspective on our programs, please see our blog DANTAisms - https://dantablog.wordpress.com/.

Methods in Primate Behavior and Conservation

Dates:  Winter Session: Summer Session: July 4-July 19, 2020.

Program Fee: $2600

Application deadline: Summer Session: June 1, 2020

Course Description

This two week course is designed to provide students with field experience in primate behavior, ecology, and conservation. Learning experiences fall into four main categories: field exercises, seminars, lectures, and applied conservation. The field exercises and seminars provide instruction and experience in: (1) methods of measuring environmental variables, including assessment of resource availability, (2) methods of collecting and analyzing the behavior of free-ranging primates, (3) assessments of biodiversity and (4) techniques for estimating population size. Lecture topics will cover the behavior and ecology of Old and New World primates from an evolutionary perspective. Selected lecture topics include primate sociality, feeding ecology, taxonomy, rain forest ecosystems and conservation. Service learning is a large component of all our programs. Students will gain experience in applied conservation through participation in Osa Conservation’s reforestation, sustainable agriculture and wildlife monitoring programs (big cat and sea turtle).

Primate Behavior and Conservation

Dates: June 10 – July 2, 2020

Program Fee: $3500

Application deadline: May 15, 2020

Course Description

This course is designed to provide students with field experience in primate behavior, ecology, and conservation. Learning experiences fall into five main categories: field exercises, independent research, discussions, lectures and applied conservation. The first half of the courses is devoted to learning ecological field techniques, while in the second half students design, carry out and present data from their independent research projects. Many of our participants have gone on to present their work at national and regional conferences. The field exercises and seminars provide instruction and experience in:(1) methods of measuring environmental variables, including assessment of resource availability, (2) methods of collecting and analyzing the behavior of free-ranging primates, (3) assessments of biodiversity and (4) techniques for estimating population size. Lecture topics will cover the behavior and ecology of Old and New World primates from an evolutionary perspective. Selected lecture topics include primate sociality, feeding ecology, taxonomy, rain forest ecosystems, conservation, climate change and sustainability. Participants gain experience in applied conservation through participation in Osa Conservation’s reforestation, and sea turtle breeding and monitoring programs.

Wildlife Conservation and Sustainability

Dates: Summer Session: June 10-June 25, 2020

Program fee: $2600

Application deadline: Summer Session: May 15, 2020

Course Description
This course is designed to provide students with field experience, on a range of terrestrial surveying techniques, measuring bio-indicator species: mainly key predators and their prey and butterflies. Students will also gain a a better understanding on the principles of defaunation, sustainable development, and community management and its conservation related issues. The course includes four learning experiences categories: field exercises, seminars, lectures, and applied conservation.

The field exercises and seminars offer instruction and experience on direct and indirect methods of biodiversity data collection, management, and analysis, as well as GPS navigation and research project development. Direct methods include butterfly trapping while indirect methods comprise mammal tracking, or camera trapping. Lectures cover ecology and socio-economic and anthropogenic impacts related to selected bio-indicator groups in the Neotropics, with a particularly in the Osa Peninsula. Selected lecture topics include ecology, taxonomy, and conservation of medium-large vertebrates and butterflies, as well as effects of anthropogenic impacts on population dynamics or defaunation. Topics on community-based management, participatory methods, and socio-economic effects on both conservation and the development of sustainable livelihoods for local communities are also included. Students also gain experience in community outreach and education through involvement in an activity at the Piro Ranch involving Don Miguel Sanchez, one of the remaining few landowners in the area.

Field Excursion

All courses include a visit to a wildlife rehabilitation center, sustainable chocolate plantation and dolphin and snorkeling trip of the Golfo Dulce. We overnight on the Boruca Indigenous Reserve where we will learn about the community and their traditional lifeways, and help with needed projects. Every effort is made to implement eco-friendly and socially responsible practices into our day-to-day operations, field courses and overall mission.

Enrollment in each course is limited to 10 students. The course is open to both credit and non-credit seeking students. University credit can be arranged through your home institution.